


Cheerleader

by OzQueen



Series: babysitters100 [60]
Category: Baby-Sitters Club - Ann M. Martin
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-22
Updated: 2015-11-22
Packaged: 2018-05-02 20:47:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5263025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OzQueen/pseuds/OzQueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stacey sprains her ankle at cheerleading practice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cheerleader

**Author's Note:**

> The last in my little "500 words of hurt/comfort" series. Stands alone.  
> Also, this is my 60th completed prompt! This table is taking me forever to finish, but I'm sloooowwwly making progress.
> 
> For what it's worth, I'm picturing Stacey and Robert in high school in this fic, but it's not explicitly mentioned anywhere.

* * *

 

Maureen glances at her watch when she hears Stacey's key at the front door. She stretches her arms above her head, intending on leaving her study to greet her, but she stops when she hears Robert.

"I know, Stace, hang on a second."

"It really hurts now."

"I know."

"I didn't think it was so bad, but…" Stacey's voice sounds strained and tearful.

"Come here."

Maureen peers around her open door and catches sight of Stacey's blonde curls as Robert carries her through the kitchen into the living room. She's still in her blue and white cheerleader's uniform, and her fingers are clenched tightly in Robert's sweatshirt.

"It's really hurting," she says in a small voice.

Maureen watches Robert lower her gently to the couch. "It'll just be a sprain. Let me take a look." He sits at her feet and starts unlacing her white shoes.

"Ow!" Stacey complains sharply. She presses her hands over her eyes and gasps in a breath. "Ow, ow…"

Robert's head is down, but Maureen can see him grinning as he eases Stacey's shoe off. He cradles her ankle in his hands. "It's swollen," he says. "We'll put some ice on it."

Stacey rubs her eyes, which are red. "We've practiced that move like a hundred times, and they've never dropped me."

"First time for everything, I guess," Robert says distractedly, cupping Stacey's ankle in his palms.

"Ow!" She smacks his shoulder. "I'm serious, it hurts!"

"Okay, okay." He leans over to kiss her forehead. "You got ice in the freezer?"

"I don't know." She pitches sideways so she's lying down, her cheerleader's skirt rising high against her thighs.

Maureen retreats as Robert moves into the kitchen and tugs the freezer door open, but he's focused entirely on his task, and doesn't notice her. He wraps a bag of frozen peas in a dishtowel and sits at the end of the couch, pulling Stacey's feet into his lap.

Stacey rolls onto her back and looks down at him. They sit in silence for a long moment, Robert holding the peas against her ankle.

"Better?" he asks quietly.

"Yeah." She looks tired and pale. "Sorry."

"It's okay. You don't like people looking after you."

She props herself up on her elbows and tries to argue. "That's not true."

"Yes it is," he says, and Maureen secretly agrees with him. "Trying to get you to admit to a headache or something is impossible. You don't want people to think you're sick. Or hurt, I guess." He looks down at her ankle again.

Stacey lowers herself back to the couch silently, folding her arms over her chest.

"Everyone gets sick, Stace. Doesn't make you weak." His hand smooths over her knee, up to her thigh. "And I like looking after you sometimes," he says softly. "You're worth taking care of."

Stacey reaches for him and he leans over to kiss her with a smile.

Maureen quietly closes the door to her study and sits back at her desk.


End file.
